Beach Chairs

I mentioned not long ago a beach in Sanur that is all but deserted except for perhaps 100 lounge chairs. This is where the Bali Hyatt used to be, but the hotel is now being renovated and a long steel wall stands between the beach and the hotel grounds. On the beach itself there are no restaurants nor warungs nor shops, nor even trees, and no people except for those bound for some other place.

So I thought to myself, Gosh, this would be a nice spot to take a swim and lie down on one of these 100 unoccupied chairs. Surely no one would mind.

Turns out that as soon as I took one dip and laid myself down on a chair, a dude shows up and says, "I am sorry to inform you, sir, that you must pay to sit in this chair."

"Oh, gitu."

"Ya."

"But dude, there's not a single fecker on this beach!"

"Eh?"

"Maksudku, Pak, ada serratus kursi tapi hanya satu orang … yaitu saya." (I mean, there are a hundred chairs but only one person--namely me). 

"Ya. No people. But must pay."

"Well, for Christ's sake."

"Eh?"

"So, is it okay if I sit right here on the sand instead, just beside this raggedy ass chair that's been here for at least 8 years?"

"Ya, oke. No pay kalua begitu."

Jeeze.

"By the way, how much must I pay to sit in this chair?"

"Thirty thousand rupiah."

"For how long?"

"We close at 5."

"You close?"

"Yes."

"The beach?"

"Yes."

"And then what?"

"Then … no pay."

Lol.